Acts of intolerance spark concern

By Elizabeth Adler
Collegian Editor
Feburary 27, 2008

A poster of presidential candidate Barack Obama was defaced Feb. 20 in the St. Bernard residence hall, marking the second documented act of African-American-targeted racial intolerance at La Salle in a little over a month. A noose was drawn around Obama’s neck, with the words “hang ‘em high” nearby.

“We were summoned to record an act of intolerance,” Director of Security and Safety Art Grover said. “We wrote up an incident report, photographed the scene and checked for witnesses.”

Despite security’s involvement, the administration acknowledges it will be tough to catch the perpetrator.

“It is highly unlikely that we will find the culprit or culprits,” Assistant Dean of Students Alan Wendell said.

Wendell indicated this is due to the lack of eye-witnesses and outside information. However, the investigation is still classified as ongoing.

“We are using the full weight of resources to cooperate with Community Development,” Grover said.

Although the incident is similar to the Martin Luther King Jr. pamphlet posting that occurred Jan. 22, Wendell noted a key difference: This incident involved a La Salle student. Whereas anyone could have hung pamphlets in the Student Union, only on-campus residents have access to North Halls. As a result, the act was committed by a La Salle student or a guest of a La Salle student, Wendell said.

Students in St. Bernard are already taking action. They have had meetings, and are going to have more. The residents and community development staff discussed the incident and the steps they should take next to make the rest of the student body aware of what happened. The upcoming meetings are going to focus on what they should do to prevent any further acts of intolerance.

“The residents that attended are hanging signs on their doors stating that they do not tolerate discrimination and that they celebrate diversity,” Shari Williamson, Resident Coordinator of Bernard, Dennis and Jerome, said.

According to resident assistants in the area, the community response has been exceptional.

“We had a meeting to discuss

what happened with our residents and they were all very anxious toband together to show that we do not tolerate discrimination,” junior education major Ashley Ward, RA at St. Bernard, said.

“I am very proud of our community’s response and willingness to look such intolerance in the face,” senior Integrated Business and Science Technology major Sean Houlihan, the RA of St. Dennis, added.

Graffiti of this nature is taken quite seriously, but in this case, it carries more significance. According to Wendell, this one offense was not a singular act of intolerance, but a more blatant one in a long line of inappropriate actions.

“Obama’s posters are taken down more often,” Wendell said.

The democratic candidate for president, if not the next president, may be a woman or an African-American, and school officials believe students’ attitudes should positively reflect this change in the demographic. However the growing number of racially motivated offenses runs counter to this hope.

“I anticipate there’s going to be more ugliness,” Wendell said.

The question for administrators is how to reach out to students and find a way to spread acceptance and tolerance.

“These types of incidents are most unfortunate and they do not represent or embody what La Salle University is all about,” Grover said. “That type of behavior deeply hurts people on campus and makes it difficult for people to feel safe.”

adlere1@lasalle.edu